This report on the pharmaceutical sector outlines the 2022 R&D investment dynamics in Spain, highlighting a notable rise driven by the sector’s focus on innovation. The overall investment reached a new peak, rising by 10.1% compared with 2021, marking the largest year-on-year increase in fifteen years. The growth underscores Spain’s position as the leading industrial driver for R&D expenditure within the national economy and reinforces the pharmaceutical industry as the top contributor to research and development in the country. [Farmaindustria 2022]
This surge allocates 60% of the total to clinical development, reflecting a 5.6% increase over the previous year. In Spain, corporate commitment to clinical research has grown steadily, rising from 479 million euros in 2012 to 834 million euros in 2022, a rise of more than 74%. Spain ranks second globally in clinical trials after the United States, participating in about one out of every three European trials. [Farmaindustria 2022]
Within the investment, early-stage trials (Phases I and II) gained nearly 10 percentage points over the past decade, accounting for 36.4% of the 2022 total. Phase III trials, which involve larger patient cohorts, continue to receive substantial investment alongside Phase IV. After a drug’s commercialization, the corresponding funding has remained relatively stable across the years. [Farmaindustria 2022]
The second-largest item covers basic and preclinical research, totaling 175 million euros and marking an increase above 11% from 2021. This is followed by 114 million euros for technological development, and 105 million euros allocated to pharmacoeconomics, epidemiology, and post-registration studies. [Farmaindustria 2022]
“Patients benefit most from this investment since a significant portion supports the launch of clinical trials, enabling thousands of Spaniards to gain early access to future treatments and innovative therapies,” notes a Farmaindustria spokesperson. This push also signals potential advances for patients with serious diseases, offering unprecedented opportunities for cures if the development timeline stays on track. [Farmaindustria 2022]
In the survey, nearly half of the participants reported that investment in Spain includes substantial collaboration with non-commercial partners, with 633 million euros directed to extramural research. These contracts with hospitals, universities, and both public and private centers highlight the sustained value of public-private partnerships in maintaining access to cutting-edge trials. The National Institute of Statistics (INE) recognizes the pharmaceutical industry as the leading sector for collaborative investments, contributing about one-third of the national total in this area. [INE, Farmaindustria 2022]
Finally, the data show robust growth in the workforce dedicated to R&D. The sector now employs 5,498 people in investigation departments, the highest figure on record. Women account for 67% of R&D professionals, and the talent pool remains highly qualified: in 2022, around 90% of university graduates in this field exceeded the required benchmarks for the first time. [Farmaindustria 2022]